Page 22 of Pay Dirt

“Okay, you guys, keep it PG. There are teenagers outside,” his dad said, stealing another piece of bacon as Cassie had just done. His father patted Nathan’s shoulder. “I’m not kissing you for it.”

Clayton covered and protected his plate from the others and moved to the other side of the table out of reach.

“I reserved our booth at the rodeo. You three should join us,” Uncle Dan said.

“A booth?”

“It’s the VIP area of the arena,” Nathan explained.

“VIP. Now that I can get behind,” Clayton said, pointing with his bacon before biting off a piece.

Clayton oozed manners and charm. Him being an FDG operative made sense. Nathan just hoped the man was as good with people as he was at watching Cassie’s back.

Uncle Dan handed Nathan’s dad an envelope. “All we need to close the deal is your signature to start the process. You can either drop it off at the bank or bring it to the rodeo if you don’t have time.”

“You didn’t have to drive all the way out here to drop it off. I’d planned to come into town, but now that Nathan showed up, I’ve got to be here when the new rig shows up so I can pinpoint where to put it.”

“New rig?” Nathan asked.

William grinned. “New rig.” He chuckled and handed the bacon he’d stolen to Cassie before escorting Uncle Dan to the front door.

“Why does he need a new rig?” Nathan asked.

“I find things. It’s what I do, and it doesn’t just stop at people or missing items. It apparently extends to oil in the ground. Who knew?” She kicked her leg up and rose with the momentum from Nathan’s lap.

Who knew? God forbid if that little secret got out. It wouldn’t be a killer Nathan would be hunting down; it would be kidnappers. “You might want to keep that part a secret so I don’t have to rescue you from kidnappers.”

Her brows furrowed, but she nodded. Men and woman alike down on their luck might be tempted to kidnap someone holding the knowledge of a million-dollar payday if the opportunity arose.

Nathan and Clayton finished eating while Cassie sat on the porch with Nathan’s grandfather. He wasn’t much of a conversationalist, as he was an observer, but it didn’t matter. Nathan could hear the one-sided conversation Cassie was having with the man from inside the house. She was telling him stories about her grandmother’s antics.

When they walked outside to let Cassie know they were ready to go to town, there was a certain spark in his granddad's eyes. An all-knowing spark. He really had been amused.

“Ready for me to show you town?” Nathan asked.

“Absolutely.” Cassie popped up. “It was nice chatting with you, Mr. Murray.”

He lifted his unlit pipe in acknowledgment without saying a word.

“Finally.” Clayton groaned. “Maybe I’ll meet me a cowgirl or two.”

Cassie nudged his shoulder as they crossed the yard heading toward the limo. Nathan headed for his dad’s truck.

“I’m driving,” Nathan said, holding up the keys.

“Why would we take that? It doesn’t even look like it has air conditioning.”

Nathan chuckled. “If we take the limo, we won’t be blending with the locals or the tourists. We take the truck and go unnoticed. Isn’t that the plan?”

“I’m going to need a map,” Cassie said. She hopped in the truck like she’d done it a million times then shrugged at his quick gasp. “My sister Faith has a truck older than this one.”

“We’ll find a map. Maybe this won’t take as long as we’d thought.”

“You got the bill from the heist?”

Nathan pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to Cassie to hold on to.

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